Update 3:20 p.m.: Severe thunderstorm alerts are active near Colorado Springs and across the Eastern Plains, according to the National Weather Service.
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for El Paso, Elbert, Cheyenne, Kit Carson, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington and Yuma counties until 9 p.m. for possible tornadoes, scattered apple-sized hail and wind gusts up to 70 mph.
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska until 9 PM MDT
— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder)
The watch was upgraded to a for parts of east central Elbert and north central Lincoln counties, including Limon and Cedar Point, as a storm moving east threatens ping-pong-sized hail and 60 mph wind gusts capable of harming people, animals, vehicles and buildings.
Original story: Weather across Colorado competed for most dramatic forecast on Saturday as red flag conditions challenged firefighters on the Western Slope, wildfire smoke blanketed parts of the state and thunderstorms threatened large hail and tornadoes on the Eastern Plains.
Two rounds of are set to sweep across the eastern half of the state Saturday and could bring “very large hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes” east of Interstate 25 and north of U.S. 50, National Weather Service forecasters said.
Wind gusts could reach 60 mph and 2-inch hail is possible, according to the agency.
To the west, smoke from the Lee and Elk fires in Rio Blanco County is expected to reach unhealthy levels for sensitive groups across the region on Saturday, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
An is active until Sunday morning for Rio Blanco, Eagle, Summit, Garfield, Pitkin, Gunnison, Gilpin, Clear Creek, San Miguel, Dolores, Montezuma and La Plata counties.
People should consider staying indoors if the smoke is thick, especially if they have heart disease or a respiratory illness, state officials said. If visibility is less than five miles, smoke has reached unhealthy levels.
A is active for most of the Western Slope until 8 p.m., with low humidity and wind gusts up to 35 mph enabling fires to catch and spread quickly, forecasters said in an alert.
The warning includes parts of Rio Blanco, Moffat, Routt, Garfield, Eagle, Pitkin, Mesa, Delta, Gunnison, Montrose, San Miguel, Dolores, La Plata and Montezuma counties.
